1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for dispersing liquids such as rainwater run-off from roofs of houses or buildings, or water droplets as used in cooling towers. A unique mesh screen structure reduces the size of liquid droplets to prevent the impact and accumulation effects of larger liquid droplets, as used in rainwater service, and improves the cooling function, as used in cooling tower service. Use of the screen eliminates the usual gutter and leader structures required to remove rainwater flow or can replace cooling tower internal fill materials, e.g. wood baffle fill, splash type PVC fill or film type fill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,616 to Schapker concerns a rain water run-off disperser structure comprising deflector plates extending laterally at a small downward angle from a side wall of the building below the roof edge in the path of falling water. The deflector plates include a plurality of small apertures with associated deflecting surfaces at larger downward angles which direct the rain water outwardly and downwardly from the roof. Larger streams of rainwater are dispersed into separate sprays to avoid direct run off without the use of gutters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,577 to Stalter is directed to a roof drain system employing a housing extending along the lower edge of a roof and having a multiplicity of small openings through which water can be dispersed. The housing forms an elongated air duct with high pressure air supplied by a motor driven blower to cause jets of air that force droplets of water through the openings to disperse the water over a large area. The usual water troughs and downspouts are eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,424 to Madfis utilizes angled deflector plates extending along and below the edge of the roof. The plates include a plurality of vertical baffles having spaced protrusions which impede and uniformly distribute the heavy flows of rainwater to disperse the rain in a random pattern of small droplets. The use of gutters is avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,488 to Burns discloses a rain disperser system utilizing a plurality of parallel angled deflector plates supported on a base plate extending around the perimeter of the roof. Spacer elements hold the deflector plates in a desired position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,195, 5,261,196, and 5,579,611 to Buckenmaier et al disclose several variations of roof water dispersal systems utilizing deflector plates of different configurations running along a support structure around and below the perimeter of the roof. Desired angular orientations of louvers and slats are maintained by cross-member spacers.
While various forms of prior art water droplet dispersing devices have been shown, these employ relatively complex structures of solid deflector plates with openings which are inefficient and do not produce water droplets of uniformly reduced size which can be dispersed into much finer sprays or mist.